Supporters of Chicano Park and its cultural roots clash with Bordertown Patriots

A person who attended the Bordertown Patriots' Patriot Picnic at Chicano Park, left, and a Chicano Park supporter, right, came face-to-face as the Bordertown Patriots group was being escorted out of the park by police.

A person who attended the Bordertown Patriots' Patriot Picnic at Chicano Park, left, and a Chicano Park supporter, right, came face-to-face as the Bordertown Patriots group was being escorted out of the park by police.

Brandon Tamariz, left, and Jenmichel Marquez, right, held their banner before the Bordertown Patriots held their Patriot Picnic across the street in the park.

Brandon Tamariz, left, and Jenmichel Marquez, right, held their banner before the Bordertown Patriots held their Patriot Picnic across the street in the park. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego-Union-Tribune)

Tensions escalated at Chicano Park February 3, 2018, as police attempted to separate a group of people holding a “Patriot Picnic” with American flags and a larger gathering of park supporters defending the park’s cultural roots.